Type-writing machine.



E. G. LAjTA. TYPE WRITING MAGHINE. APPLICATION RILBD FEBJ, 1911.

Patented sept. 17,1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

EI.G.LATTA. TYIPB WRITING MACHINE.

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EMT/IIT Gr. LATTAF SYRAC'SE, NEW YORK, ASSIGN'OR OF ONE-HALF T0 HARVEY A.

MOYER,. 0F SYRACUSE, NEW YORK.

Specioation of Letters Patent.

rires-WRITING momias.

rammed sepa it, asia.

original application tiled IDecember 11, 1909, Serial No. 532,53). Divided and this application led February A1., 1911. Serial No. 606,002.

To all r11/wm 'it may concern.'

Be it known that l, Enum; Gr. LATTA, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Syracuse, in the county of @nondaga and` for placing the platen in printing relationto one or another of the dierentv sets of type on the type bars.

This application is adivision of my pend ing application Serial No. 532,530, filed December 11, 1909, .and'relates to the means disclosed in said application for supporting and operating the ribbon guide or vibrator and cooperating parts.

One of the objects of the invention is to s0 mount and arrange the ribbon-guide or vibrator and its operating mechanism that the platen carriage and the shift frame, o-n which it is mounted and' by which it is guided in its horizontaltravel, can be detached and'removed from the machine without disturbing the ribbon or its vibrating mechanism and without disconnecting the lifting spring for the shift frame and. carriage; also to vsupport the ribbon Guide or vibrator so that n asas with 'its Shift frame and carriage and vmaintains the same normal relationfto the platen without being mounted on the shift frame; and also to improve the ribbon vibrating mechanism and cooperating parts of typewriting machines in the other respects hereinafter `described and. set forth in the clalms.

In the accompanying drawings, consisting of two sheets: Figure l isa fragmentary longitudinal sectional `elevation of a type Writing machine' embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation "oherpo'f/l Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan View thcr'cot. 'Fig'. 4 isV a front elevation o f the auxiliary car riagcsupporting frame. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional elevation of a slightly modified construction.

`Lilic reference characters vrefer to like parts inthe several gures.'

Arepresents the top plate' of the main frnnietof the machine; B the platen; C the platenv carriage and c the spring-driving drum therefor; D the shift frame on which the carriage is mounted to travel horizonstally transversely of the machine, and which is pivoted so that it can swing vertically for shifting the platen from one to anotherof its different printing positions; E the ribbon which passes from one to the other of two spools located .at the opposite-sides of the front portion of the top-plate; F the ribbon vibrator or guide for vibrating the ribbon to and from printing position between the type and the platen; G the carriage escape ment; and H. the universal-bar which is actuated at the type strokes lfor operating the carriage escapement' and the' ribbon vibrator. In the machine illustrated, these pprts are constructed and arranged as in the oyer typewriter. Preferably -the carriage has a scale bar o at its lower front portion provided on its front face with a graduated ing guides c2 on the shift frame. y The' shift frame ishinged to posts l rising from the oppositesides of the rear portion of the. top plate by adjustable pivots d', and is shifted from one to another of its dierent positions y e by a cam lever or devicevcl2v (operated manually by means not shown)v and engaging a roller dla journaled onthe front centralportion of the shift frame. The universal bar H consists of a roclr shaft journaled in bearings depending from the top plate A..

' The weight of the carriage and shift frame is borne, at least in part, by an auxiliary spring-sustained frame or support I,

which is preferably located under the shiftframe and-pivoted to the main frame com# cidently with the pivotalI axis of the shift frame and carries a bearing device on which the carriage rests,v whereby the Vcarriage guide on the shift frame `is relieved of more or less of the weight of the carriage. v

ln the construct-ion shown in- Figs. 1-4,the auxiliary 4frame has upwardly and rearwardly extending armsz' hinged by adjust.-r

vable pivots'i' to posts t rising from the top plate A between the pivot posts for the shift frame-and a' roller l( suitably journaled on a' centra-l forward extension of the .frame projects through "an opening in 'the shift esv :loov

frame and bears against the fiat underside of thc carriage between `its guide tracks. (lne of the arms of the auxiliary l'raluc is 75 scale,'and slides in antifriction or ball bear-` l shaped, as shown, to. pass to the rear of the escapement and clear the 4spring drum c, the otherarm being similarly shaped for the sake of symmetry. It is not absolutely essential t0 pivot the auxiliary frame coincidently with the pivotal axis of the shift frame, as. stated, but this is preferable, as bthereby there will be no transverse movement of the bearing roller'on the carriage and consequently'. no sliding friction between these parts lin the'up and'down movements of the roller with the shift frame.`

The bearing roller is caused to exert an up- Ward or lifting pressure on the carriage preferably by a pair of tension coil springs I-located'na cavity in the rear portion of the auxiliary; frame or'support and connected at opposite ends to studs or parts Z on the top plate A and to a plate or part'l of the auxiliary frame. VThe plate Z to which the springs are attached is preferably Yslotted and adjustably secured to the auxiliaryframe b'y a screw Z2 for regula- /ting 'the lifting action of the springs. Tension coil springs, connected at opposite ends to the auxiliary and main fra-mes, are used.

to avoid 'sliding friction between them and the parts on which they act. In constructions in which sprin act directly on the s ftfra'me, such springs are objectionablefor the reason that they must' be disconnected at one end or the other in order to dismount the shift frame, but by the employmentV of the auxiliary frame or support this objection is overcome and the, shift .frame with the carriage can be' detached without disconnnecting the springs. While a pair of springs arranged 'as described is desirable, the invention is not conlined to this arrangement and any. other v suitable spring arrangement for the auxiliary frame can be used.

The ribbon guide or vibrator-F is sup.

ported on the auxiliary frame I and moves with this frame and the shift frame D when the platen is shifted. The ribbon guide or vibrator F shown reciprocates in an upright glide M and is actuated by a vibrator lever connected to the universal bar H. TheseA parts may be of the construction heretofore used in the Moyer typewriter, or of other .suitable construction, but the ribbon vibrator and its guide M and the Ivibrator lever N are, in the preferred construction, shown in Figs. 1-4, mounted on `the auxiliary frame lor support I instead of on the shift frame, asheretofore.v As shown, the guide M has a'forked lower end secured by screws m to the forked front end of the auxiliary frame and the lower end of the vibrator passes down between these forked parts and 1s pivotcd to the front end of the vibrator -lever N, the vibrator and its guide having openings vthrough which the scale bar c can be seen. The vibrator leverwNis pivoted at are employed which springs L and through the slot in the -spring plate Z and a registering slot in the auxiliary frame. By thus mounting the ribbon vibrator and its guide and actuating lever on the auxiliary frame, the vibrator shifts with the carrage and maintains the same relation to the platen in both printing p0- sitions thereof, while thev shift frame and carriage can be dismounted from the machine without. disturbing any part of theribbon mechanism. This is a great improvement over prior constructions in which the vibrator is mounted on the shift frame and: its actuating means are located under the shift frame, as in such an arrangement the ribbon must be detached from the vithey were connected to the larger shift4 frame, as the shift frame is not in the way at such time. Furthermore, the ribbon driving or feeding mechanism (not shown), as well as the auxiliary framewith the vibrating mechanism, are mounted on the top plate, S'o that the entire ribbon mechai msm can be assembled on the top plate and adjusted before the top plate is connected to the main frame of the machine, and before the shift frame is mounted, all of which materially assists in assembling the machine.

O represents a short scale and line gage -which 1s secured to the vibrator guide M, and has a central' opening for the passage of the type-bars and ribbon to the platen. As

the `guide is mounted on the auxiliary frame,'the line gage moves with the platen when it is shifted and always retains the same position directly under the line being printed, l'The upper edge of the ge affords a line by which the paper can prop-I orly adjusted, and thecenter of its openingr indicates'the point where the next impression will be made. The gage pressesiagainst the-paper on the platen, but it is maderof spring metal and can yield to permit4 a number of sheets to pass it, and as it shifts with the platen it has no tendency to' displace the aper during the shifting movements of t e carriage; a

In the modified construction shown in Fig. 5, the ide M" for the vibrator F is supported y the shift frame D instead of by the auxiliary frame, but the vibrat-or lever if is pivoted on the auxiliary frame I as before explained. The vibrator F is thus supported by the auxiliary frame but shifts a with the shift frame and carriage, as before explained. In 4this construction' the lower end of .the vibrator is bent to engage in a notch in the front end of the vibrator lever, or it may be otherwise connected thereto so as to enable the vibrator to be readily disconnected from the lever when detaching the shift frame.

The mounting of the ribbon vibrating mechanism on a support which is independcnt of the shift frame but shifts therewith is desirable Whether or not this support also serves a support for the carriage, and the direct auxiliary support for the carriage is desirable Whether or not'it carries the ribbon vibrating mech-mism, and-the invent-ion is therefore `not confined to the use of both of these features in combination. It Will be apparent. that the auxiliary support could be actuated by a Weight instead yof by a spring, but the spring is preferred.

I claim as my invention: Y

"1. In a typewriting machine, the co-mbina tion of a platen carriage, a shift frame for the carriage, an auxiliary support which exerts a lifting action directly on the earriag'e, a ribbon vibrator which is mounted on said auxiliary support, and means for actuating said vibrator, substantially as set forth.

2. Ir a typewriting machine, the combination of` a platen carriage, a. shift frame for the carriage, an auxiliary spring-actuated support which exerts allifting act lon on the carriage independently of the shift fra..1e, a ribbon vibrator which is mounted on said auxiliary support, and means for actuating said vibrator, substantially as set forth.

3. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a platen carriage, a track on which the carriage is guided in its horizontal travel. and which is movable for shifting the car ringe, an independent auxiliary support which relievesthc carriage track of at least a portion of the weight of the carriage, a ribbon vibrator which is mounted on said auxiliary support, and means for actuating said vibrator, substantially as set forth.

4. In a typewritiner machine, the combinalion of a platen carriage, a shift frame for the carriage, means forlxhifting the shift frame andthe carriage, a spring-actuated auxiliary support which acts directly on the carriage to assist the shift-ing movement of the shift frame and; the carriage., a ribbonC .ibrator which is mounted on said auxiliary support, and means for actuating said vibra- (or, substantially as set forth.

5. In a typewriting machine, the cornbination of a platen. carriage, a shift.- frame on which the carriage is mounted and guided Vin its horizontal travel, an auxiliary support which has a movement limited by the carriage and exerts a lifting action directly on the carriage, a ribbon vibrator which is mounted on said auxiliary support, and means for actuating said vibrator,

substantially as set forth.

6. In a typewriting machinethe combination of a platen carriage, a pivoted shift frame on which the carriage is mounted and guided in its horizontal travel, a springactuated auxiliary pivoted support arranged at-the side of the shift frame opposite to that on Which the platen is mounted and having a bearing for-the carriage, a ribbon vibrator which is mounted on said auxiliary support, and means for actuating said "vibrator, substantially as set forth.

7. In a typewriting machinethe combination of a platen carriage, a pivoted shift frame on which the carriage is mounted and guided in its horizontal travel. a springactuated auxiliary pivoted `support arranged under the shift frame and having a bearing for the carriage extending through an opening in the shift frame, aribbon vibrator Which is mounted on said auxil iary support, and means for actuating said vibrator, substantially as set forth.

8. In a typewriting machine, the combination .of a platen carriage, a pivoted shift frame for the carriage, an auxiliary support- 'ivhich is pivoted substantially on the pivotal axis of the shift frame and evi-tz? a lifting action on the carriage independently of the shiftl frame, a ribbon vibrator Which is mounted on said auxiliary support, and means for actuating said vibrator, substan; ti:llv as set forth.

9. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a platen, a pair of frames pivoted substantially on the same axial line, means for moving one of said frames to shift the carriage, a spring actuating the other frame to support at least a portion of the weight` of the carriage, a ribbon vibrator which is mounted on said second frame, yand means for operating said vibrator, substantially as set forth. l

10. In a tyi'iewriting inachine."the eombivnation of a platen carriage, a 'shift frame for the carriage, an auxiliary supporting frame for the carriage, a ribbon vibrator mounted on said auxiliary frame, and means for operating said vibrator, said shift frame and the carriage being detachable from the machine without disturbing said auxiliary frame and said ribbon vibrator, substantially as -set forth.

11. In a typewriting machine, the combination lof a platen carriage, a shift frame for the carriage. a ribbon vibrator, a support on which said vibrator is mounted and which 1s disconnected from but shifts' the same as said shift frame, and means for operating said vibrator, substantially as set forth. 12; In a typewriting machine, the combination of Va platen carriage, a shift frame for the carriage, a ribbon, vmeans for vibrating the ribbon, and a support for the ribbon vibrating means which shifts in the saine direction and the same distance as the shift frame, substantially as set forth.

13. In a typewriting machine, the combination Vof a platen carriage, a shift frame for the carriage, a ribbon, means for vibrating the ribbon;y and ya spring-actuated support for'the ribbon vibrating means that causes the vibrating means to shift With the carriage, substantially as set forth.

14. In a typewriting machine, the combination Aof a platen carriage, a shiftA frame for the carriage, a ribbon, vibrating means for the ribbon, a spring-actuated support for` the ribbon vibrating means that causes the vibrating means to' shift with the carriage', a universal bar, and connections between the universal bar and vibrating means that vibrate the ribbon in different positions of Y the shift frame, substantially as set forth.

nation of a platen carriage, -a shift frame which is movable for shifting the carriage, a ribbon, a ribbon vibrator, a ribbon vibrator guide, and a spring-actuated movable frame `which shifts With the shift frame and supports the ribbon vibrator and its guide, substantially as set forth.

17. In a typeivriting machine, the combination of a platen carriage, a shift frame which is movable for shiftingr the carriage, a ribbon, a ribbon vibrator guide, a ribbon vibrator'lever. and a spring-actuated movable frame which shifts with the shift frame and on which the vibrator lduide is mounted and the vibrator levei` pivoted, substantially as set forth.

1,8. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a top plate, a platen carriage, a

Acarriage shift frame which is movable for 'shifting the carriage, a ribbon, a ribbon vibrator, a ribbon vibrator lever, a spring-actuated movable frame which shifts with the shift frame and pivotally supports the vibrator lever, a universal bar supported by the top plate, and a connection between the vibrator leverl and the universal bar, substantially as set forth.

nation of a platen carriage, a shift .frame for the carriage, an auxiliary support which exerts a lifting action on the carriage in.

depcndently of the shift frame, a ribbon, and a ribbon vibrator mounted on the auxiliary support, substantially7 as set forth. c

20. In a typewriting machine, the combination of'a platen carriage, an oscillating shift frame for the carriage having a limited movement, means for oscillating the shift frame, an oscillatinGr spring-actuated support having `an antirriction bearing acting against the carriage to limit its movement in one direction, a ribbon, and a ribbon vibrator mounted on the 'spring-actuated support, substantially as set forth.

21L In a typewriting machine, the combination of. a platen carriage, a shift frame for the carriage, an independent spring-actuated frame acting directly on the carriage to support at least a portion of its Weight, a ribbon, and a ribbon vibratorinounted on the spring-actuated frame, the shift frame and the carriage being detachable from the ma-`Y Y chine Without disconnecting the spring-actuated frame or any of its connected parts, substantially as set forth.

22. In a typevvriting machine, the combination of a top plate, ribbon spools mounted on the top plate, a platenvcarriage, a shift frame for the carriage mounted on the top plate, a ribbon vibrator, and an independent spring-actuated frame mounted on the top plate and on which the ribbon vibrator is mounted and acting .to automatically maintain the vibrator in fixed relation to the carriage in its shifting movements, substantially'as set forth.

In a typewriting machine, the combination of a platen carriage, a shift frame for the carriage, a ribbon guide support which is independent .of but shifts with the shift frame, a ribbon vibrator, a guide for the ribv bon vibrator mounted on said support. and

a liney gage mounted on the vibrator guide,

substantially as set forth..

24. In a typewiitlng machine, the combination of a platen carriage, a shift frame for the carriage, an auxiliary Support for the carriage which is independent of but shifts with the shift frame, a ribbon vibrator, and a guide for the ribbon vibrator mounted on the auxiliary support, substantially as set forth.

Witness in v hand, this 28th day of J anuary, 1911.

nMMiT o. Larra.

. Witnesses:

CHESTER W. Rain, OTTO A. SCHILLY.

each, by addressing the Washington,'D. C.

Commissioner ef Patents, 

